Atheism & Marriage

I've been back and forth on the issue. I never want to be married b/c of its religous roots. However, I would save money on taxes, my social security wouldn't go to waste. My feelings and rationale are at war. What are your thoughts?

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I'm bothered by the past and present connotations/views of marriage, but if I have a relationship that is strong enough for life (doubtful), I'll probably have little choice. I don't want to send my mother to an early death. . .

"having the ability to combine your estates with whoever for any reason"

Well said Josiah, I couldn't agree more. I would say it would have to be limited on how many people could be in a union at one time. One is more than enough for me but not sure what would be fair for others. That would cover so many situations; gay unions/marrages, elder siblings, or just best friends wanting to spend the rest of their lives together. I just doesn't seem fair to make the single members of society pay for the burdens of family units without the same benifits.

My American ex-wive and me were both atheists.So I did not have any trouble in this sense.She was born in Salt Lake City,Utah in 1941 but she was not a Mormon since prevailed her Swedish ancestors ,that like most swedes were atheists.

I look at it this way; You CAN get married in a church but you CAN'T get divorced in one.
It's simply a state recognized union (read:contract) between to consenting adults.
I've been married for almost 11 years now. Can't say it's always been easy but that's typical when you combine two independent entities to occupy similar space. I would not want it any other way. I love my wife and respect her ideas, feelings and points of view though I don't agree with those same attributes all the time. Only my compassion and understanding are required.
Nevertheless, it is an important personal commitment. And "faith", as in allegiance to duty, fidelity to one's promises and sincerity of intentions (loyalty), in your partner is requisite consideration. Faith is not a bad word, it's only (temporarily) been hijacked by the religious.

I had a civil ceremony with no mention of god. If your significant other is ill, you would not be able to visit them in the hospital, or make decisions. There are ways around this of course, with Living Wills, Powers of Attorney and what not, but it is easier to just get married.

How much is not-getting-married worth to you? Is it worth more than the tax credit for being married?

If so, don't get married.

Personally, I like money. I like having money. If I'm with someone who also thinks the money is worth the marriage, then we will get married -- and swim in our married couple tax credit. Any symbolism or feeling or meaning attached to the ceremony is accessory, as far as I'm concerned.

As a woman atheist who is in an 8-year relationship with another atheist, I also thought for a long time that I didn't want to get married. Now I'm 34 and I feel that marriage between to non-believers shows that the other person is the biggest priority in your life. It shows that you care if something happens to them if the get sick and are hospitalized, that you care enough to protect them financially if you die by leaving them your social security and estate. I really feel that if you are an atheist and you are putting your religious ideals above the health and well-being of your significant other, then it is selfish in todays day and age. Most of us non-believers don't agree with marriage because it is a religious construct but when people ask us "when are you going to tie the knot with your long term partner" we usually try to avoid the question especially when its not close friends but family/co-workers. What is point of not getting married if you aren't going to tell people that the reason you aren't married is b/c you don't agree with religious components of it?

Please try and show me the good sides to not being married. I have really been struggling with this the last few months.

I have no issue with marriage and am currently happily married. From everything I have read marriage existed long before the Abrahamic religions, so to me it is not a religious institution, but just another instance of the religious claiming something that doesn't truly belong to them. Just like most of the holidays we celebrate pre-date Christianity or have no actual Christian attachment, other than those they impose on them, marriage is simply an agreement between two people and an expression of their feelings and commitment.

Marriage has existed since Ur. I seriously don't get why Christians try to claim a monopoly on marriage. But then again, they love to claim things that weren't originally theirs, such as Christmas and the U.S.